Skirt-retainer.



No. 704,042. Patentgd m 8, I902. M. C. HUFFMAN.

SKIRT RETAINER.

- (Application M May 15, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2v Sheets-Sheet I.

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No 704,042. Pa tented Jilly 8, I902.

M. c. HUFFMAN. SKIRT RETAlNER'.

(Application filed May 15, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES VATENT FFICE.

MARY C. HUFFMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKIRT-RETAINER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,042, dated July 8,1902.

Application filed May 15, 1899. Serial No. 71 6,5306. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY C. HUFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSkirt-Retainers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming apart of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The invention relates to that class of skirtretainers adapted to attachthe back of the skirt at its upper edge or band to a waist or belt. Manydevices have been employed for this purpose; but so far as I am awarethere is not in use any that is entirely satisfactory, and a safety-pinis more commonly used than any device especially designed for thepurpose.

My invention embodies a construction which overcomes the disadvantagesof other,

devices for accomplishing the same purpose and is cheap and simple inconstruction and readily understood and applied.

It comprises two supports, preferably in the nature of balls or studs,which are connected with each other by a flexible connection and bymeans of which they are suitably spaced, properly sustained, and readilyattached by sewing to the back of a'shirt-waist near its lower edge orto a belt, if one be used.

The invention further comprises two attaching members which areindependent of each other and each of which comprises a device having anattachable relation to each of said studs or balls to be attachedthereto ordetached therefrom and each of which also has a short downward-extending flexible tongue, by means of which it is adapted to beattached to the skirt immediately below the waistband and uponeachsideof a vertical line extending centrally through the back thereof.

I have ascertained that by providing the waist and skirt or the belt andskirt with two points of attachment, one upon each side of the center ofthe back of the waistband of the skirt, and that by supporting the skirtat the back upon flexible connections bearing portions of the attachingdevices and by making the points of attachment between the skirt andthese flexible connections slightly below the waistband the skirt andthe waist or the skirtand the belt are so attached to each other thatthe skirt hangs evenly and uniformly, does not gap at the back, and isheld from gaping. These attaching devices may be secured to the insideor outside of the garments, as desired. For example, that memberof theattachment carrying the balls or studs may be fastened to the back ofthe waist or to the belt on the outside of the garment, in which casethe skirt connections or socket-carrying tabs of the attachment would besecured to the inside of the skirt. This arrangement may be reversed, iffound desirable, and the socket-carrying tabs secured to the outside ofthe skirt, and in this case the stud or ball carrying member of theattachment would be secured to the inside of the waist or belt.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents my retainer in itscommercial form, but not attached to the Waist or skirt. Fig. 2

shows the two suspended members separated from the upper member.

Fig. 3 shows the upper member as attached to the back of a shirt-waist.Fig. shows the lower member as attached to the inner surface of the backof a skirt. Fig. 5 represents the skirt and the waist as securedtogether at the back by the upper and lower members, the position of theupper and lower members being represented by dotted lines. Fig. 6represents my device as attached to a belt and the lower members notbeing secured to a skirt. Fig. 7 represents the lower member as providedwith a loop for receiving a bar of a safety-pin,

by which it may be easily and detachably secured to a skirt.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the upper member of my retaineror the upper part, which is attached to the shirt-waist, as shown inFig. 3, or to the belt, as represented in Fig. 6. It comprises theflexible section a, preferably of firm tape, having bound ends a at, andthe balls or studs B: B, attached thereto near each end thereof.The'member is preferably attached to the waist by sewing and asrepresented in Fig. 3 to bring the main central lines a a of theconnection upon a line with the center of the back of the waist and at asuitable distance from the lower edge thereof. This will bring the studsor balls B B upon either side of the center of the back of the waist andat a uniform distance from said center, and the balls or studs will beheld to the waist by a flexible and firm connection, which strengthensthe waist at this point and maintains the balls or studs in thepositions indicated and properly spaces them apart before they areattached to the waist.

O O are the suspending members of the device. They are separated fromeach other, are counterparts, and are attachable to the waist. Eachconsists of aclasp or engaging device 0 in the nature of a socket toengage one of the studs or balls B and maintain engagement therewith ofa separable nature, however. To accomplish this, the ball or stud B maybe resilient or the socket may be resilient. The socket is secured tothe upper end of the member, as represented in Fig. 4, and the memberispreferably of firmly-woven tape, having each end 0 c bound. Each of themembers is attached to the garment in any desirable way. In Fig. 4 Ihave represented them as attached by sewing, and in Fig. 7 I haverepresented a safety-pin D. I prefer to attach them to the skirtimmediately below the waistband of the skirt rather than to thewaistband itself and also at a uniform distance from the back centralline 0 c of the waistband or substantially as represented in Fig. 4,although the points of attachment to the skirt may be nearer thewaistband than therein shown. They are also attached to the skirt at adistance apart equivalent to that at which the studs or balls B B areseparated and so as to present their socket-entrances to the studs orballs. For instance, if the studsor balls are presented as in Fig. 3,then the socket-entrances will be presented as in Fig. 4. the member A,carrying studs or balls, is

placed upon the inside of the waist, the members O C will then be placedupon the outside of the skirt to face in the proper direction'forengagement with the studs on said first-namedmember. When a safety-pin Dis used, I prefer that each member 0 C have a loop for receiving andholding one of the bars of the pin. (See Fig. 7.) In Fig. 6 I

have represented the upper member as at tached to a removable belt. Theballs or studs may, however, be secured directly to the belt, ifdesired, provided they are located as above specified.

By this device both the skirtand waist are provided with permanent meansfor attachment and detachment at the back, whereby when attached theupper edge or waistband of the skirt is connected to the shirt-waist andmaintained in a manner not to gap and is maintained in that position solongas the attachment continues.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States- 1. A skirt-supporter andplacket-opening retainer comprising a flexible strip adapted to be sewedor otherwise secured to a belt or shirt-waist at the waist-line in ahorizontal position said strip having parts of separable fastenerssecured thereto with the separable fasteners one on either side of theline of the skirt-opening or placket; and two verticallydisposedflexible strips having the companion parts of said separable fastenerssecured to their upper ends for engagement with the fastener members onsaid horizontally-placed strip, said vertically-disposed strips beingadapted to be secured at their lower ends to a skirt below thewaistband, one on either side of the placket-opening.

2. A skirt-supporter and placket-opening retainer comprising a flexiblestrip A adapted to be attached in a horizontal position to a belt orother article of apparel at the waistline, said strip A having parts B,B of separable fasteners secured thereto, one on either side of the lineof the skirt-opening or placket; two flexible strips 0, 0, provided attheir lower ends with a detachable fastening device by which they may besecured in a vertical position to a skirt at points just below thewaistband thereof, one on either side of the skirt-opening or placket;the companion pants 0, c, of said separable fasteners secured to theupper ends of said verticallydisposed strips 0, C for engagement withthe said fastener members 'B, B, whereby the said strips 0, C may beseparably connected to the strip A, the skirt upheld, the placketopeningmaintained in closed position, and strain upon and sagging of thewaistband prevented.

MARY C. HUFFMAN.

In presence of J. M. DOLAN, F. 1*. RAYMOND, 2d.

